System of heating railway-cars



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.-

J. ELDER.

SYSTEM OF HEATING RAILWAY CARS. v No. 415,907,. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheBt 2.

J. ELDER. SYSTEM OF HEATING RAILWAY GARS.

No. 415,907. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JOSEPH ELDER, OF PEORIA,II.LINOIS.

SYSTEM OF HEATING RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,907, dated November 26, 1889. Application filed July 15, 1887. Serial N0.24=4,4l0. (No model.) Patented in (lanada June 22, I887, No. 57,017.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ELDER, of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Systems of Heating Railway-Cars, (pat ented in Canada June 22, 1887, No. 27,017,) of which the following is a specification.

The aim of my invention is to provide a practical system and apparatus for the heating of railway-cars, by which the cars may be uniformly and fully heated in all parts, and which shall be adapted to meet the varying conditions and requirements encountered in practice.

To this end it consists in providing the cars with hot-water-circulating pipes and valves, and couplings for making connections for said pipes, and in providing at the station boilers for heating the water, with suitable valves and couplings for connecting temporarily with the cars; and also in providing at the station the tank or receptacle with suitable pipes and connections for receiving the partially-cooled water from the cars, with means for returning the same to the boiler or heater, and also in various other details, which will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a railway-station with the proper heating and receiving apparatus and their connections, and two railway-cars connected with said apparatus to receivea supply of heated water and deliver the previous supply of partiallycooled water. Fig. 2 is a top plan view illustrating the arrangement of the heating-pipes within the car. Fig. 3 is avertical cross-section of the car on the line 1 1 of Fig/1. Fig. at is a vertical cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 5, on a larger scale. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, showing the arrangement of the registers with reference to the seats and aisles. Fig. 6 is a crosssection on the line 5 5, Fig. 1,-showing the construction of the pipe-coupling. Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing the same parts. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation on the line 6 6, Fig.

. 2, showing the supplemental heater. Fig. 9

is a diagrammatic View showing the connections between the valves.

In carrying my invention into effect I 10- cat-e at each of the terminals and at suitable intermediate stations on the line a steamboiler A, which may be of any ordinary or appropriate form adapted to heat water or other appropriate fluid to a high temperasteam-pump, an injector, or equivalentappa- I ratus D, by which the water maybe delivered from the reservoir as required.

From the boiler, at a point beneath the water-line, I extend one or more pipesEalong the tracks of the railway, preferablya distance equal to the length of the longest passen ger-trains, and at suitable intervals I pro vide this pipe with branch pipes E, each provided with a closing-valve E and with a flexible section E terminating in a coupling E adapted for connection with the pipes of the cars, as hereinafter explained.

From the tank or reservoir B, I extend a pipe F along or adjacent to the track, and provide it at suitable intervals with a series of"branches F, terminating at the top in an enlarged funnel or receiving-mouth F or otherwise formed to receive the water delivered from thecars.

It Will be understood that there is at each station a series of delivery branches E and of the receiving branches F, so that connections may be made directly and separately with each car in the train to deliver the heated Water thereto and the cooler Water therefrom.

The cars, which may be in all other respects of the usual construction, I provide immediately beneath the ordinar floor with a system of horizontal circulating-pipes G, extending longitudinally and transversely, forming a complete network throughout its entire area. Except at the upper side, where they are left uncovered, the pipes are bedded, as shown in Fig. 4, in non-conducting ma terial a-such as asbestus or mineral woolsupported in an inclosing box or housing I).

At each end of the car I carry the pipes upward over the top of the door from one side to the other, as shown at c, Fig. 3, in order to that this arrangement affords a more uni-.

form and equal distribution of the heat than is otherwise obtainable. At each end of the car the pipes are extended on both sides to the outside, provided with closing valves or cocks H, and also with coupling-necks I, adapted to receive the station-coupling E al- I ready referred to.

' Figs. 6 and 7.

At a suitable point in the length of the car,

preferably near one corner, I locate beneath the fioor a supplemental heater J, consisting simply of a fire pot or box with an ordinary grate, through the upper part of which one of the pipes G is extended. This heater is called into action only on exceptional occasions, as hereinafter explained.

In order that the station-pipes E may be quickly connected to and disconnected from the pipes of the car, I recommend the construction of details such as represented in The radiating-pipe G of the 'car is provided near each end with an inwardly-openin g check-valve K, held normally in a closed position by a spiral spring h or provided with a closing-valve of any other approved form. The spindle of each valve is extended outward through the stuffing box or gland and connected to an angular lever 2'. Each of these levers is pivoted to the car and has its opposite end pivoted to a rod is, extending lengthwise of the car, as shown in Fig. 9. One end of this rod extends beyond the angular lever, where it terminates in a forked end having flanges K, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The coupling on the end of the station branch E is provided with the usual rotary sleeve having threads or lips to engage corre sponding lips on the end of the car-pipe, as in other pipe-couplings now in general use. I provide this coupling-sleeve with two arms m, formed and arranged in such manner that when the coupling is applied to the end of "the car-pipe and turned to fix it in position thereon the arms on will encounter the flanges K and will operate the rod 7c and through the intermediate parts open the valve at the opposite end of the pipe on the car. It will be perceived that in this manner the connection of the supply-pipe at one end of the car "is caused to effect the opening of the discharge-valve at the opposite end, in order that the water which is contained in the pipes of {the car and the temperature of which has been lowered by radiation may escape through the outlet-valve and make room for the inflowing highly-heated water by which it is driven out.

The essence of my invention as regards the valve mechanism consists in connecting the coupling at one end through intermediate devices with the outlet-valve at the opposite end, and it is manifest that the details may be modified in various respects which will suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic without passing beyond the limits of my in- Vention.

As the changing temperature of the water within the car may requirearegulation of the registers in order to maintain a practically uniform temperature of the air, I connect the registers throughout the car in such manner that they may be all operated and controlled from one end by the conductor or other attendants.

As shown in the drawings, the registers are of the familiar type in which a series of pivoted slats are mounted in a frame and controlled by a rock shaft or spindle. I provide these spindles at their inner ends with cranks 0 and connectthese cranks to rods 13, extending lengthwise of the car, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the movement of either rod will adjust the entire series of registers on that side of the can.

In operating my system the boiler is charged with water and the fire regulated in such manner as to bring the water to a high temperature and maintain areasonable pressure of steam within the boiler. IVhen an incoming train reaches the station, the cars are brought with their ends adjacent to the-pipes E and F. Each of the branches E is connected by its coupling E to the circulating or radiating pipe at one end of the adjacent car. The application of the coupling not only connects the pipe E to the pipe of the car, but at the same time opens the car-pipe at the opposite end, as before explained. The valve E in each branch pipe is now opened, whereupon the pressure of the steam in the boiler drives the water forcibly through the pipe E and through its branches into the car-pipes. The hot water entering the pipes at one end displaces the cooler water therein and drives the same forcibly out of the same at the opposite end, where it is discharged into the branch pipes F and returnedthrough pipeF into the reservoir 13. The pipes being thus charged wit-h hot water, the valves E are closed and the branch pipes E uncoupled, the effect of which is to close the valves of the car, and thus retain the hot water therein. The water delivered from the car is commonly at a temperature but little below the boilingpoint, and in this condition it is returned by the pump D to the boiler, the expenditure of fuel being thus economized.

It will be observed that by the use of a long supply-pipe E, having a series of branches which may be connected simultaneously to separate cars, I am enabled to fillalarge number of cars at the same time, each independently of the other, and thus to prevent any undue detention of the train at the station.

furnace or heater J, by which the water in the pipes may be raised to any required temperature.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination with a railway-train having each of its cars provided with a coil of water-circulating pipes having terminal couplings and valves by means of which the said coil may be filled and emptied at will, a steamboiler located at a station and provided below the water-line with a discharge-pipe having branches each with a coupling and valve adapted for connection with the coil of the car, and a receiving-tank, also located at a station and provided with a pipe adapted to receive the water discharged from the cars, whereby the heating-coils in all the cars of a train can at one and the same moment receive the hot water from the boiler and eject the cooled water into the 1'eceiving-tank,substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a railway-car provided with water-circulating pipes and with valves for closing the ends of said pipes, a

stationary water-supply pipe, a coupling for connecting the same with the car-pipe, and automatic lever-connections interposed between the coupling and the outlet-valve of the car-pipe, whereby the application of the said coupling at one end of the car-pipe will cause the opening of the valve at the other end of the same, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a railway-car, the water-circulating pipes having valves K at opposite ends, in combination with lever z, pivoted to the car, and rod is, connected therewith, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a system for heating railway-cars, the

stationary steam-boiler provided with a delivery-pipe having branches with terminal coupling and valve for each branch, in combination with a series of cars, each having a coil of heating-pipes and a branch pipe with terminal coupling and valve to correspond with each delivery-pipebranch, whereby hot water may be delivered at will into the cars simultaneously, the delivery to each car being eflt'ected and controlled independently.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 22d day of April, 1887, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

' JOSEPH ELDER.

Vitnesses: A

GEORGE TORRANCE GILLIAM, GEORGE THOMAS GRAY. 

